Thanks to online videos and dash cams, the Arkansas State Police (AKSP) has earned a reputation for a no-nonsense approach in high-speed pursuits. Even so, the driver of a Cadillac STS decided it would be a good idea to try and evade an AKSP officer who was attempting to pull the vehicle over due to a suspected defective tag light.
Instead of allowing the officer to pull him over and possibly get a ticket, the driver led the officer on a dangerous chase with speeds approaching 140 miles per hour. In the end, a set of spike strips hindered the STS enough for the officer to bring it to a stop by successfully performing a second pit maneuver. Thankfully no one was seriously injured.
The driver would up being charged with two felonies and a total of six misdemeanors. The real kicker, though, is when the driver denied he was fleeing from the officer and was instead struggling with a “stuck throttle.” If Saul Goodman were his defense attorney, he would reference NHTSA Recall 06V-007, which was related to faulty throttle position sensors in 2006 Cadillac STS sedans equipped with the base V6 engine and all-wheel drivetrain.
Given the presence of a fender vent – which we can clearly see at the 4:40-mark when the suspect made a U-turn to re-enter the freeway, as shown in the image above – it’s likely that this particular Cadillac STS is a post-refresh model. A good prosecutor would confirm the model year and highlight the fact that the stuck throttle Cadillac recall didn’t apply to 2008 models, thereby disproving the driver’s claim. However, watching the video (embedded below) makes it relatively easy to challenge the driver’s credibility.
For those who are curious, we’re guessing the runaway STS shown in the video is a V6 model (like the one shown above). Although the V6 engine’s power output comes close to the 320 horses of the optional Northstar V8, its top speed rating is only 140 miles per hour, while V8-powered STS sedans can pull to 155 miles per hour.
Hit play on the video below to see how it all went down, and let us know if you think our powertrain speculation is accurate in the comment section.
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